1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of surgical tissue removal systems, and more specifically to enhanced ultrasonic power delivery during surgical procedures such as phacoemulsification.
2. Description of the Related Art
Phacoemulsification surgery has been successfully employed in the treatment of certain ocular problems, such as cataracts. Phacoemulsification surgery utilizes a small corneal incision to insert the tip of at least one phacoemulsification handheld surgical implement, or handpiece. The handpiece includes a needle which is ultrasonically driven once placed within an incision to emulsify the eye lens, or break the cataract into small pieces. The broken cataract pieces may subsequently be removed using the same handpiece or another handpiece in a controlled manner. The surgeon may then insert lens implants in the eye through the incision. The incision is allowed to heal, and the results for the patient are typically significantly improved eyesight.
As may be appreciated, the flow of fluid to and from a patient through a fluid infusion or extraction system and power control of the phacoemulsification handpiece is critical to the procedure performed. Different medically recognized techniques have been utilized for the lens removal portion of the surgery. Among these, one popular technique is a simultaneous combination of phacoemulsification, irrigation and aspiration using a single handpiece. This method includes making the incision, inserting the handheld surgical implement to emulsify the cataract or eye lens. Simultaneously with this emulsification, the handpiece provides a fluid for irrigation of the emulsified lens and a vacuum for aspiration of the emulsified lens and inserted fluids.
Currently available phacoemulsification systems include a variable speed peristaltic pump, a vacuum sensor, an adjustable source of ultrasonic power, and a programmable microprocessor with operator-selected presets for controlling aspiration rate, vacuum and ultrasonic power levels. A phacoemulsification handpiece is interconnected with a control console by an electric cable for powering and controlling the piezoelectric transducer. Tubing provides irrigation fluid to the eye and enables withdrawal of aspiration fluid from an eye through the handpiece. The hollow needle of the handpiece may typically be driven or excited along its longitudinal axis by the piezoelectric effect in crystals created by an AC voltage applied thereto. The motion of the driven crystal is amplified by a mechanically resonant system within the handpiece such that the motion of the needle connected thereto is directly dependent upon the frequency at which the crystal is driven, with a maximum motion occurring at a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency is dependent in part upon the mass of the needle interconnected therewith, which is typically vibrated by the crystal.
From the standpoint of the electronics employed in phacoemulsification surgery, for purely capacitive circuits, a 90 degree phase angle exists between a sine wave representing the voltage applied to the handpiece and the resultant current provided to the handpiece. This phase angle is expressed as −90 degrees. For a purely inductive circuit, the phase angle equals +90 degrees and for purely resistive circuits the phase angle equals zero.
A typical range of frequency used for phacoemulsification handpiece is between about 25 kHz to about 50 kHz. A frequency window exists for each phacoemulsification handpiece that can be characterized by specific handpiece impedance and phase. The aforementioned frequency window is bounded by an upper frequency and a lower cutoff frequency. The center of this window is typically the point where the handpiece electrical phase reaches a maximum value. At frequencies outside of this window, the electrical phase of the handpiece is equal to −90 degrees.
Handpiece power transfer efficiency is given by the formula (V*I) (COS Φ), where Φ is the aforementioned phase angle. Using this power transfer efficiency equation, the most efficient handpiece operating point occurs when the phase is closest to 0 degrees. Thus optimum handpiece power transfer efficiency requires controlling power frequency to achieve a phase value as close to zero degrees as possible. Achieving this goal is complicated by the fact that the phase angle of the ultrasonic handpiece also depends on transducer loading. Transducer loading occurs through the mechanically resonant handpiece system, including the needle. Contact by the needle with tissue and fluids within the eye create a load on the piezoelectric crystals with concomitant change in the operating phase angle.
Consequently, phase angles are determined and measured at all times during operation of the handpiece to adjust the driving circuitry, achieve an optimum phase angle, and effect constant energy transfer into the tissue by the phacoemulsification handpiece. Automatic tuning of the handpiece may be provided by monitoring the handpiece electrical signals and adjusting the frequency to maintain consistency with selected parameters. Control circuitry for a phacoemulsification handpiece can include circuitry for measuring the phase between the voltage and the current, typically identified as a phase detector. Difficulties may arise if phase shift is measured independent of the operating frequency of the phacoemulsification handpiece, because phase shift depends on handpiece operating frequency, and time delay in the measurement thereof requires complex calibration circuitry to provide for responsive tuning of the handpiece.
Power control of the phacoemulsification handpiece is therefore highly critical to successful phacoemulsification surgery. Certain previous systems address the requirements of power control for a phacoemulsification handpiece based on the phase angle between voltage applied to a handpiece piezoelectric transducer and the current drawn by the piezoelectric transducer and/or the amplitude of power pulses provided to the handpiece. The typical arrangement is tuned for the particular handpiece, and power is applied in a continuous fashion or series of solid bursts subject to the control of the surgeon/operator. For example, the system may apply power for 150 ms, then cease power for 350 ms, and repeat this on/off sequence for the necessary duration of power application. In this example, power is applied through the piezoelectric crystals of the phacoemulsification handpiece to the needle causing ultrasonic power emission for 150 ms, followed by ceasing application of power using the crystals, handpiece, and needle for 350 ms. It is understood that while power in this example is applied for 150 ms, this application of power includes application of a sinusoidal waveform to the piezoelectric crystals at a frequesncy of generally between about 25 kHz and 50 kHz and is thus not truly “constant.” Application of power during this 150 ms period is defined as a constant application of a 25 kHz to 50 kHz sinusoid. In certain circumstances, the surgeon/operator may wish to apply these power bursts for a duration of time, cease application of power, then reapply at this or another power setting. The frequency and duration of the burst is typically controllable, as is the length of the stream of bursts applied to the affected area. The time period where power is not applied enable cavitation in the affected area whereby broken sections may be removed using aspiration provided by the handpiece or an aspiration apparatus.
Additionally, the surgeon operator may wish to employ certain known procedures, such as a “sculpt” procedure to break the lens, or a “chop” procedure to collect the nucleus and maintain a strong hold on the broken pieces. These specialized “chop or quadrant removal” procedures typically entail applying power or energy in a constant span of anywhere from approximately 50 milliseconds to 200 milliseconds in duration.
The on/off application of power facilitates breaking the cataract into pieces and relatively efficient removal thereof. The ultrasonically driven needle in a phacoemulsification handpiece becomes warm during use, resulting from frictional heat due in part to mechanical motion of the phacoemulsification handpiece tip. In certain circumstances, it has been found that the aforementioned method of applying power to the affected region in a continuous mode can produce a not insignificant amount of heat in the affected area. Irrigation/aspiration fluids passing through the needle may be used to dissipate this heat, but care must be taken to avoid overheating of eye tissue during phacoemulsification, but in certain procedures fluid circulation may not dissipate enough heat. The risk of damaging the affected area via application of heat can be a considerable negative side effect.
Further, the application of power in the aforementioned manner can in certain circumstances cause turbulence and/or chatter, as well as cause significant flow issues, such as requiring considerable use of fluid to relieve the area and remove particles. Also, the application of constant groups of energy can cause nuclear fragments to be pushed away from the tip of the handpiece because of the resultant cavitation from the energy applied. Collecting and disposing of fragments in such a cavitation environment can be difficult in many circumstances. These resultant effects are undesirable and to the extent possible should be minimized.
Based on the foregoing, it would be beneficial to provide a system which did not include certain drawbacks associated with previous tissue removal systems, such as phacoemulsification systems.